Wet etching system

ABSTRACT

A wet etching system includes a substrate holding chamber ( 211 ), a drying chamber ( 218 ), a cleaning chamber ( 217 ), a wet etching region, an elevator ( 213 ), a conveyor ( 212 ) arranged above the drying chamber. The cleaning chamber, and the wet etching region, the conveyor communicating with both the substrate holding chamber and the elevator. A substrate being transmitted along the conveyor can avoid shaking, vibration and other disturbances caused by high pressure cleaning. In addition, because the etching chambers are located relatively far away from the substrate holding chamber, there is reduced risk of substrates that are held in the substrate holding chamber being contaminated by chemical reagents used in the etching processes. Furthermore, when two wet etching systems are arranged substantially diagonally opposite each other, the interspace therebetween conveniently serves as a common access region for maintenance and cleaning of the wet etching systems.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to wet etching systems, and more particularly to a wet etching system utilizing an elevator in order to promote manufacturing efficiency and reduce the required shop floor space.

BACKGROUND

Wet etching technology provides good performance in terms of low cost, high manufacturing efficiency, and outstanding selectivity of various photo masks and various materials of substrates that can be etched. Thus wet etching technology is widely used in the early stages of semiconductor manufacturing processes, particularly in the etching of substrates. A typical wet etching system includes many apparatuses, and transmission of the substrate between the apparatuses can be complicated and problematic.

FIG. 3 is a schematic, isometric view of a conventional wet etching system. The wet etching system 10 includes a substrate holding chamber 111, a buffer chamber 112, a first etching chamber 113, a second etching chamber 114, a third etching chamber 115, a wet transmission region 116, a cleaning chamber 117, a drying chamber 118, and a dry transmission region 119. The substrate holding chamber 111 communicates with both the buffer chamber 112 and the dry transmission region 119.

As shown in FIG. 4, the buffer chamber 112, the first etching chamber 113, the second etching chamber 114, the third etching chamber 115, the wet transmission region 116, the cleaning chamber 117, the drying chamber 118 and the dry transmission region 119 are arranged in sequence to form a generally rectangular configuration. An access area 110 is provided in a center of the rectangular configuration. The buffer chamber 112, the first etching chamber 113, the second etching chamber 114 and the third etching chamber 115 are arranged at one side of the access area 110. The cleaning chamber 117, the drying chamber 118, and the dry transmission region 119 are arranged at an opposite side of the access area 110, parallel to the buffer chamber 112, the first etching chamber 113, the second etching chamber 114 and the third etching chamber 115. The wet transmission region 116 is arranged opposite from the substrate holding chamber 111.

In operation, substrates are loaded into the substrate holding chamber 111, and are transmitted one by one to the first etching chamber 113, the second etching chamber 114, and the third etching chamber 115 through the buffer chamber 112. After being etched in the three etching chambers 113, 114, 115, the substrate is transmitted to the dry transmission region 119 through the wet transmission region 116, the cleaning chamber 117 and the drying chamber 118. Finally, the substrate is transmitted back to the substrate holding chamber 111 to prepare for a next process.

The access area 110 is surrounded by the devices of the wet etching system, and it is therefore inconvenient to use the access area 110 for maintenance and cleaning of the wet etching system 10. In addition, when the substrate is transmitted through the wet transmission region 116, it undergoes a process of cleaning under high pressure and may be intensely shaken. Furthermore, the first etching chamber 113, the second etching chamber 114 and the third etching chamber 115 are located relatively near the substrate holding chamber 111, and chemical reagents used in the etching processes thereat are liable to contaminate substrates in the substrate holding chamber 111. This may reduce the quality of the finished products. Moreover, the dry transmission region 119 is needed as an interconnection between the substrate holding chamber 111 and the drying chamber 118. The length of the dry transmission region 119 effectively increases the space occupied by the wet etching system 10.

As shown in FIG. 5, when two wet etching systems 10 are needed, they are generally arranged side by side. The wet etching systems 10 each require their own access area 110, which in effect adds the total space occupied by the wet etching systems 10.

What is also needed, therefore, is a wet etching system that overcomes the above-described deficiencies.

SUMMARY

In a preferred embodiment, a wet etching system includes a substrate holding chamber, a drying chamber, a cleaning chamber, a wet etching region, an elevator, a conveyor arranged above the drying chamber. The cleaning chamber, and the wet etching region, the conveyor communicating with both the substrate holding chamber and the elevator.

By arranging the conveyor above the drying chamber, the cleaning chamber and the wet etching region, a substrate being transmitted along the conveyor can avoid shaking, vibration and other disturbances caused by high pressure cleaning. In addition, because the etching chambers are located relatively far away from the substrate holding chamber, there is reduced risk of substrates that are held in the substrate holding chamber being contaminated by chemical reagents used in the etching processes. Furthermore, when two wet etching systems are arranged substantially diagonally opposite each other, the interspace therebetween conveniently serves as a common access region for maintenance and cleaning of the wet etching systems. At the same time, the amount of space occupied by the wet etching systems is reduced. All these advantages help promote manufacturing efficiency.

Other advantages and novel features of preferred embodiments will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic, isometric view of a wet etching system of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view of an arrangement of two wet etching systems of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a schematic, isometric view of a conventional wet etching system.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the wet etching system of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a top view of an arrangement of two wet etching systems of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As shown in FIG. 1, a wet etching system 20 includes a substrate holding chamber 211, a conveyor 212, an elevator 213, a first etching chamber 214, a second etching chamber 215, a third etching chamber 216, a cleaning chamber 217, a drying chamber 218, and a dry transmission region 219. The substrate holding chamber 211 communicates with both the conveyor 212 and the dry transmission region 219. The elevator 213, first etching chamber 214, second etching chamber 215, third etching chamber 216, cleaning chamber 217, drying chamber 218 and dry transmission region 219 are arranged in a line in that order. The conveyor 212 is arranged above the first etching chamber 214, the second etching chamber 215, the third etching chamber 216, the cleaning chamber 217, the drying chamber 218, and the dry transmission region 219, and communicates with the elevator 213.

In operation, transmission of a substrate processed in the wet etching system 20 includes a first horizontal transmission, a vertical transmission with the elevator 213, and a second horizontal transmission through the first etching chamber 214, the second etching chamber 215, and the third etching chamber 216 sequentially. The substrate is transmitted from the substrate holding chamber 211 to the elevator 213 through the conveyor 212, and then to the first etching chamber 214 through the elevator 213. The substrate is etched in the first etching chamber 214, the second etching chamber 215 and the third etching chamber 216, is cleaned in the cleaning chamber 217, is dried in the drying chamber 218, and finally is transmitted to the substrate holding chamber 211 through the dry transmission region 219.

As shown in FIG. 2, two wet etching systems 20 can be arranged substantially diagonally opposite each other. An interspace between the wet etching systems 20 may be used as an access region 210.

In summary, a wet etching system of a preferred embodiment includes an elevator and a conveyor. The wet etching system comprises a wet etching region, which comprises first, second and third etching chambers. By arranging the conveyor above the drying chamber, the cleaning chamber and the wet etching region, a substrate being transmitted along the conveyor can avoid shaking, vibration and other disturbances caused by high pressure cleaning. In addition, because the etching chambers are located relatively far away from the substrate holding chamber, there is reduced risk of substrates that are held in the substrate holding chamber being contaminated by chemical reagents used in the etching processes. Furthermore, when two wet etching systems are arranged substantially diagonally opposite each other, the interspace therebetween conveniently serves as a common access region for maintenance and cleaning of the wet etching systems. At the same time, the amount of space occupied by the wet etching systems is reduced. All these advantages help promote manufacturing efficiency.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the embodiments have been set out in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. 

1. A wet etching system, comprising: a substrate holding chamber; a drying chamber; a cleaning chamber; a wet etching region; an elevator; and a conveyor arranged above the drying chamber, the cleaning chamber, and the wet etching region, the conveyor communicating with both the substrate holding chamber and the elevator.
 2. The wet etching system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a transmission region between the substrate holding chamber and the drying chamber.
 3. The wet etching system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wet etching region comprises at least an etching chamber.
 4. The wet etching system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the wet etching region comprises a first etching chamber, a second etching chamber, and a third etching chamber.
 5. A wet etching system, comprising a substrate holding chamber and a wet etching region, the wet etching region defining a first horizontal transmission path, a vertical transmission path with an elevator, and a second horizontal transmission path with wet etching chambers sequentially provided therealong.
 6. The wet etching system as claimed in claim 5, wherein a substrate can be transmitted from the substrate holding chamber to the elevator by a conveyor in the first horizontal transmission path.
 7. The wet etching system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the substrate can be transmitted to the wet etching region by the elevator in the vertical transmission path.
 8. The wet etching system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the substrate can be transmitted to the substrate holding chamber through the wet etching chambers and a cleaning chamber and a drying chamber in the second horizontal transmission path.
 9. A wet etching system comprising: a sub-system including: a substrate holding chamber where an external raw substrate comes in for etching and an etched substrate goes out for next manufacturing; an etching operation loop-like path defined in the system starting and terminating both at the substrate holding chamber; a wet etching region, a cleaning chamber and a drying chamber being successively arranged in said operation path in sequence; wherein said operation path defines two levels.
 10. The wet etching system as claimed in claim 9, wherein all said wet etching region, said cleaning chamber and said drying chamber are located at a same level.
 11. The wet etching system as claimed in claim 10, wherein an elevator is located at one end of said sub-system to transport the substrate from one of the two levels to the other.
 12. The wet etching system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the substrate is dry during transportation in said elevator.
 13. The wet etching system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said substrate holding chamber is located at the other end of said sub-system opposite to said elevator.
 14. The wet etching system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the operation path located at the same level is defined along only one direction.
 15. The wet etching system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the wet etching region, the cleaning chamber and the drying chamber are arranged in the operation path along a direction back toward to the substrate holding chamber rather than away from the substrate holding chamber.
 16. The wet etching system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the sub-system is arranged to be an L-shaped configuration from a top view, and another sub-system is complementarily located aside. 